or leather machinery



No. 6I8,268. Patanted Ian 24, I899.

' J. HALL.

HIDE, SKIN, 0R LEATHER MACHINERY.

(Application filed Aug. 11, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

nonms vzrzns so. woroumoi wAsmnawu n c N0. 6I8,268. Patented Ian 24,I899.

J. HALL.

HIDE, SKIN, 0R LEATHER MACHINERY.

(Application filsdAug. 11, 1898.) (Ila Model.) 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2.

UNlTE STATES JOSEPH HALL, or LEEDS, ENGLAND.

HIDE, SKIN, OR LEATHER MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,268, dated January24, 1899.

Application filed August 11, 1898. Serial No.'688,360. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HALL, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Leeds, in the county of York, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hide, Skin, or LeatherMachinery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a machine for treating hides, skins, orleather, and, as illustrated, it has particular relation to a machinefor performing the operation technically known as softening hides,skins, or leather, although with suitable modifications the machinemaybe adapted for similar operationssuch, for instance, as unhairin g,slatin g, scudding, and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a machine fortreating hides, skins, or leather and having two operating rolls orcylinders provided with blades adapted, when the rolls or cylinders arein operation, to act upon both sides of the hide, skin, or leather to betreated.

My invention, stated in general terms, consists of a machine of thecharacter described constructed and arranged in substantially the mannerhereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyin gdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevationalview of, the machine embodying main features of my invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view ofthe machine. Fig. i is a front elevational view of the working rolls orcylinders detached from the machine and in operative position withrespect to each other, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustratingthe angular arrangement of the main helical blades and short vanes orblades of the working rolls or cylinders.

Referring to the drawings, n represents the main framework of themachine, which forms the bearings for the power-shaft a, on which arelocated the fast and loose pulleys a and a connected by the belt a} witha suitable source of power. On the power-shaft a is keyed or otherwisesecured a gear-wheel a in mesh with a gear-Wheel Z7, keyed or otherwisesecured to a shaft 6 of a working roll or cylinder b which shaft I) alsohas fixed bearings in the framework a of the machine. The gear-wheel his also in mesh with a gearwheel cl, keyed or otherwise secured to ashaft d of a feed-roller d the surface of which, by preference, iscovered with indiarubber or other suitable material. The shaft 61 of theroll (1 is located in adjustable spring-bearings d in the framework a.To the rear end of the framework a and preferably with the power-shaft aas a fulcrum is pivoted a movable framework e, in which is located ashaft f, supported in spring-bearings f in the framework 6 and carryingthe second working roll or cylinder f On the shaft f is keyed orotherwise secured a gearwheel f in mesh with a gear-wheel f rotat ingupon a stud f 0f the framework 6, which gear-wheel) meshes also with thegear-wheel a on the power-shaft a. In the swinging or movable frameworke and at or near its front end is located a shaft g, supported inspringbearings g in said framework 6 and carrying a feed-ro1lerg theperiphery of which is preferably covered with india-rubber or similarflexible material. On the shaft g is keyed or otherwise secured agear-Wheel g meshing with the gear-wheelf on the shaft of the roll f Tothe swinging or movable framework 6 is pivoted, as at it, one end of thetreadle-links h, the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected, asat 71 to the treadle-arms h one end of each of which is pivoted, as at77/ in the fixed framework a, while the free ends are connected by afoot-piece h The swing ing or movable framework 6 is counterweighted, asat e, so as normally recede from the forward end of the fixed frameworkCl, and to thereby elevate the working-roll f and feedroller g from theworking roll 12 and feedroller (1 In front of the feed-rollers d and gis located a fixed table k, preferably supported by the framework a, onwhich the work is laid when it is to be presented to the feedrollers dand g and to the working rolls b and f Each working roll is provided onits periphery with a series of helical and oppositely-arranged mainblades on, which meet or abut,

as at m, at approximately the longitudinal center of the roll. Fromthese main blades m project a series of short blades or vanes n- Theangular arrangement of main and short blades is illustrated in diagramin Fig. 5 of the drawings.

When the working rolls b and f are assembled in the machine in operativeposition, they are placed with regard to the blades, as illustrated inFig. 4-that is, the rolls are turned with relation to each other so thatthe points of abutment of the blades in one roll in rotating will enterthe space m between the blades of the other roll and will not comeopposite to the points of abutment of the blades in the other roll. Bythis arrangement the blades of one roll will begin to act on one side ofthe skin or hide before the blades of the other roll will act upon theother side of the skin. This arrangement of the working rolls b and f inconjunction with the operation of the feedrollers, as hereinafterexplained, is particularly advantageous in the manipulation of the hideor skin in what is technically known as the softening operation. Byreason of their connection, heretofore described, with the power-shaft athe working rolls b and f rotate in opposite directions and have atendency to draw the work away from the table '70, while thefeed-rollers d and 9 which rotate also in opposite directions, have atendency to draw the work toward the table and away vented from beingfed into the machine by the feed-rollers d and g Having thus describedthe nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, two working rolls, whereofone is fixed and the other movable toward or away from the fixed roll,two feed-rollers, whereof one is fixed and the other is movable with themovable work-roll, means for bringing the movable roll and feed-rollertoward or away from the fixed roll and feed-roller, a table located nearthe feed-rollers, means for rotating the working rolls in oppositedirections so as to draw the work away from the table, and means forrotating the feed-rollers in opposite directions so as to draw the worktoward the table, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a machine of the character described, two working rolls adapted tooperate upon opposite sides of the work, each roll having a series ofhelical, oppositely-arranged main blades abutting at a sharp angle atapproximately the longitudinal center of the roll and each main bladebeing provided with a series of short blades or vanes projecting at anangle to the main blades, the rolls being so arranged with relation totheir main and short blades that the points of abutment of the blades ofone roll when the rolls rotate in operative position will enter thespace between the blades of the other roll and not register with thepoints of abutment of the blades of said other roll, substantially asand.

for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH HALL.

\Vitnesses:

ANNA HEINs, ETHEL HALL.

